Foster brings his biggest point to reading like a professor in chapter 12 when he starts to discuss symbols and symbolism in general terms. He states that virtually anything within a piece of literature is some type of symbol. However, the tricky part is what that symbol is and therefore we can only make speculations and interpretations. Most importantly, he says that there is no definite meaning to a symbol, it is able to be identified as multiple things except if it's an allegory in which all the characters and the scenes all come together to symbolize one massive thing. Foster also states that even actions can symbolize something. Finally, he says that symbols aren't the same for everyone because, of course, everyone is different. While
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I had many experiences as to when I needed to find symbols in certain stories and determine what those symbols mean and how they correlate to the story. For example, in my AP English Language class we were assigned to read the Great Gatsby and afterwards talk about some of the symbols that were present within the story. A certain part of the story shows a plethora of symbols that all correlate to the main character, Jay Gatsby. The part of the story takes place in a mansion where Gatsby is holding a party. Already, the mansion symbolizes his wealth and power. The author of the book then describes the party in great detail. Every detail is meant to show just how rich Gatsby is. However, those symbols don’t only mean that. If you read further and further into the story, we could see that maybe the symbols represent corruption of the upper class or maybe they could convey how Gatsby is arrogant and selfish besides his lover, Daisy. Three representations and many more can be made by just descriptions of Gatsby and his mansion. The only way to get the symbols is to “pay attention to what you feel about the text” (cvii). Any feeling can change what a symbol means to you. Some of my classmates thought differently than I and that is perfectly normal because symbols aren’t meant to all be the
I had many experiences as to when I needed to find symbols in certain stories and determine what those symbols mean and how they correlate to the story. For example, in my AP English Language class we were assigned to read the Great Gatsby and afterwards talk about some of the symbols that were present within the story. A certain part of the story shows a plethora of symbols that all correlate to the main character, Jay Gatsby. The part of the story takes place in a mansion where Gatsby is holding a party. Already, the mansion symbolizes his wealth and power. The author of the book then describes the party in great detail. Every detail is meant to show just how rich Gatsby is. However, those symbols don’t only mean that. If you read further and further into the story, we could see that maybe the symbols represent corruption of the upper class or maybe they could convey how Gatsby is arrogant and selfish besides his lover, Daisy. Three representations and many more can be made by just descriptions of Gatsby and his mansion. The only way to get the symbols is to “pay attention to what you feel about the text” (cvii). Any feeling can change what a symbol means to you. Some of my classmates thought differently than I and that is perfectly normal because symbols aren’t meant to all be the